Thursday, October 11, 2007

The Worlds Greatest

The Red Sox are going to the ALCS and I couldn't be more excited. I am giddy like a school girl. I've caught pretty much all of the games in full length and I'm telling you Boston is going to be hard to beat. This is truly my favorite time of the year.

No matter what now, The Yankees cannot win the World Series

Wednesday, July 11, 2007

Dan Patrick... Still My Hero...

I listen to sports radio pretty much every day, and I've been doing so for quite some time. In the mornings I listen to Elliot In The Morning which by far is not sports programming, it is more or less shock jock type radio, although I don't really consider him that extreme. After that I listen to Craig Shemon and James Washington on Fox Out of Bounds. From 12 to 1 I listen to anything but Colin Cowherd (I despise his very existence but that’s another post for another day). Then the highlight of my day comes at 1 o'clock EST, The Dan Patrick Show.

I think Dan Patrick is by far and away the authority on world of sports He is smart, witty, and funny and is not afraid to ask tough questions. The questions that he poses to his guests are ones that everyone is asking in the back of their head but normally are too afraid to ask. I believe when he speaks to these amazing sports figures and sometime movie stars that he makes them feel comfortable.

However, it is not just the questions that he asks, but his views and opinions on just about everything are so well thought out, and so eloquently stated he makes you feel like you’re listening to an old friend. To me he is kind of an old friend to me, because I have been watching him on ESPN since I was kid and now most recently listening to his radio show.

On he his show he stated that he had a big announcement that will “affect your lives and probably his” and he was correct, it has affected my life, I was very sad to hear that he’s leaving ESPN. When I first heard that he had an announcement a couple of things crossed my mind. First off I knew that he wouldn’t do the Price is Right, that’s just not him. Next I thought well maybe him and Keith Olbermann would do the Big Show in the afternoons for longer than an hour, and to be honest that’s what I was hoping for. The last thing I really thought he would do was leave ESPN, but alas he did and I support his decision. Dan Patrick knows what he’s doing, and if he feels it’s the right time to go, then I think that everyone needs to respect that.

Will I miss hearing him during the day? Yes. I hope that some of the rumors are correct and he will host a national syndicated talk show. If he does that, I hope that Keith Olbermann will continue to join him. I think him and Keith play off each other so well that it would be a crime to rob people of the charisma and chemistry those two bring to the radio. I really and truly wish Dan Patrick the best of luck in his endeavors. I highly doubt that he’d read my blog but if he does, I hope he knows that he will be missed.

- Troy

Tuesday, July 10, 2007

All-Star events, going...going...going... good?

Major league baseball's all-star game is boring, it's old, it's over! That's pretty much what I’ve heard for the past couple of days and to be honest, I was really starting to convince myself that what everyone has been saying is true. That was until last night when I watched the Home Run Derby and I saw these group of kids sitting down on the field watching the players hit. I saw how excited these kids got, and the look on their faces every time a the ball went out of the park and I realized why I love baseball so much. I love it because it makes me feel like a kid again seeing these professional baseball players hit home runs. When I was a kid that was my dream, to hit home runs, to be this star, I think it's most kid’s dreams. I think a lot of adults are denying themselves the pleasure of enjoying something that is much larger than them. I don't know about everyone else but I really don't know anyone personally who could hit a home run in a major league baseball stadium much less 16 or 17 over a period of a couple of hours.

Maybe I'm crazy, it's possible that I am, but I don’t understand why all these people who think they know everything about sports really don't know anything. I think they've become so obsessed with statistics and records and all of these other things that they don't actually enjoy watching sports anymore. I know that’s a pretty hard accusation but it's true. I listen to sports radio for a good part of the day and I can honestly say that a lot of these guys (not all of them) focus on the negative things in sports rather than the positives. Why are so many kids playing soccer now rather than other sports? Because the media has built up all these negative images of other sports that parents would rather have their kids involved in a sport whose athletes don't appear on the police blotter every week or get accused of taking steroids every month. Major league soccer barely gets covered in the United States so there are no negatives there. How many Tank Johnsons or Pacman Jones play soccer? How many Barry Bonds or Jose Conseco’s have they’re been in soccer? The answer is zero. I swear if the media could start shying away from all the negatives and constantly questioning everything that goes on in sports then maybe kids will start being interested in playing baseball, football or basketball.

It's all about the kids. I love watching baseball and basketball because I was exposed to the sports in a positive way growing up. What we learn as children really has an effect on how we are when we're grown up. So next time you sit in front of the TV to watch a game of any sort just remember the feeling you had when you were kid, and translate that into today and see if you can enjoy things a little more. Because in the end, it's all about the love for the game, if that isn’t there, then what's the point.

-Troy

Tuesday, May 15, 2007

Good Idea, Bad Idea

This is a segment I call "Good Idea, Bad Idea" with one being my pick of "Excellent Idea". I'll decide, you comment.

Patriots acquisition of Randy Moss. Bad Idea (Seriously, Randy Moss? I was unaware that he was even worth talking about much less trading a draft pick for. I guess time will tell)

Curt Schilling keeping his mouth shut. Good Idea (Why oh Why do you keep opening your mouth and putting your foot in there?)

Messing with Steve Nash, ever. Bad Idea (He’s been cut across nose, kneed in the family jewels, and then last night hip checked by Robert Horry. After each incident he gets up and keeps playing. Steve Nash is the human equivalent of a small tank.)

Playing against the Red Sox right now. Bad Idea (I really don’t need to explain this one.)

Keeping your pets away from Michael Vick. Good Idea (I don’t think that he should be suspended just yet. I think there needs to be more proof that he’s had something to do with dog fighting. However, If he is found to be fighting dogs, suspend him for as long as possible.)

Daisuke Matsuzaka throwing an entire game. Good Idea (Obviously, because he only allowed one run yesterday. I think that him doing that really showed that he is in fact a good pitcher. The Tigers are not a horrible team.)

Pitching around Barry Bonds. Good Idea (I really wouldn’t want to be the guy that he gets home run 755 or 756 off of.)

Moving Devon Hester to offense. Good Idea (I’m not a huge fan of the Bears but moving Hester to offense was an obvious move. I’m secretly pulling for him.)

Dale Earnhardt Jr. leaving DEI. Excellent Idea (If he wants to win a championship, and trust me he does, he had to leave DEI. I’m very happy with his decision and this my excellent idea of the week.)

Monday, May 7, 2007

Old Man Clemens

To start out I can't even understand why the Red Sox even made a bid for Roger Clemens. He was a traitor once already for going to the Yankees and then he pretends to be interested in the Red Sox again when the entire time he knew he'd go to the Yankees. Well, I have to agree with Curt Schilling, we(Red Sox) don't need him. The Red Sox have the best record in the American League without him.

I know how these things work. Teams pay a ton of money for a player and they think that one guy can turn an entire team, or an entire season around. Well I can assure you it will take a lot more than Roger Clemens pitching to help the Yankees. Unless he can pitch every single game, I really don't think he's the answer.

I understand that Clemens was ultimately looking for a large paycheck, and I'm glad he's not with the Red Sox. However, if I were Roger Clemens, what would I do? Would I go to the Red Sox, the team with the best record in the AL and has the depth enough to go all the way? Or, do I go with the Yankees a last place team that has some great offensive players but has no depth in regards to pitching? Personally, I'd go with the Red Sox. I'm not saying that as just a fan, I'm saying it as someone whose ultimate goal would be to win a championship.

You can give me all the money in the world, but it will never buy a championship. Just look at George Steinbrenner he's spent a ton of money on the Yankees and where are they? Dead last.

Well I can promise you I will be watching the Red Sox play against the Yankees on June 1st at Fenway when Roger Clemens gets his first start. I hope he doesn't pull a hamstring.

**Edit** Josh Beckett rocks! 6-0 start is wicked awesome.

Thursday, April 26, 2007

A sock? Seriously?

I shouldn't even have to bring this up but alas I've been hearing about it all day regarding Curt Schillings bloody sock. Let me start off by saying my opinion of Schilling changes every time he pitches. I like the guy, and I think he's a wonderful pitcher, but thats todays opinion. Openning day if you recall, I didn't think too highly of him.

About the sock, honestly, I could care less and I believe all of Red Sox nation feels the exact same way. They won the world series, Schilling stepped up when he needed to end of story. It's a slow day in sports when the center of everyones attention is on a bloody sock. Get over it, stop talking about it, move on and let's watch some baseball.

With that said, I think the Sox should have kept Trot Nixon and moved him to center field instead of geting Coco Crisp. I also stand by the opinion that Julio Lugo is not a very good baseball player. I had him on my fantasy baseball league because I felt very strongly he'd be a good lead off hitter. Guess what? I was wrong. The Red Sox just need to tighten some things up and make a few tweaks here and there and I think they'll be unstoppable.

Tuesday, April 24, 2007

April has been one crazy month

I had a chance to watch the Red Sox sweep the Yankees and honestly, I enjoyed every pitch, every hit, every strike out and every home run, after home run, after home run. I am a diehard fan. I love watching the Red Sox and every year it just gets better. I think they can make a serious run for the World Series this year. Even if they don’t make it, I’d be happy. Just being able to watch such a wonderful team with such talent is worth it.

Now with that said, Julio Lugo has to go and we need to get Cabrera back some how, some way. Lugo is not getting the job done at bat or at shortstop. Second, something needs to be done about the backup for centerfield Willie Mo Pena is a wannabe Ortiz and I think he’s twice the size (weight wise). I like Crisp and I think he’s in a slump right now but he has the makings of a good lead off hitter.

In terms of pitching things are going halfway decent. I’m a huge fan of Tim Wakefield, I think he’s an amazing pitcher, but I think at this point it’s time for him to become a closer. That or pitch maybe 4 innings or so, which is what I normally do when I play MVP baseball.

The best thing about baseball, or well just sports in general is it takes your mind off of the awful things that go on in the world such as everything that has happened at Virginia Tech. Being that I live in Richmond which is a hop, skip and jump from Tech, I know a lot of people that have either gone to Tech or have kids that go there. It hit me harder, a lot harder than I thought it would. I’m a Boston Red Sox, Boston Celtics and Notre Dame Fighting Irish fan, but a part of me right now is a Virginia Tech fan and I’ll always keep them in my mind.